A Snake Without Lies (A Harry Potter Love Story)
by MaraudettViper
Summary: Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived... I didn't know it when I turned eleven, but my destiny was to protect Harry, even if it meant putting my own life in peril... I never wanted to hurt anyone, so how did I end up using the Cruciatus Curse on my best friend? Killing a first year? Taking hearts and shattering them into billions of pieces...? HP content owned by J.K. Rowling
1. Back to the Start

Chapter One: Back to the Start

No one's life is ever perfect. That's inevitable, really. But, looking back, my life has been overly… _im_perfect. Too much so for my liking. Most people go to school, make friends, and maybe fall in love. Then they go off to work, get married, and raise a family. Or live alone and become crazy cat people, whatever suits their fancy. However they went about it, they sure didn't have to save the world. But that's not the point. The point is to tell you about myself, who I am, and tell you how in the hell I'm connected to Harry Potter.

Well, to start, my name's Mildred Glass. Most people call me Millie. Except for maybe Draco Malfoy, who called me Glass until fifth year. I was 11 years old when I started going to Hogwarts. That was normal. The thing that _wasn't _so normal was that I actually _went_ to Hogwarts. You see, I had lived in America since I was nine. I was planning to go to Herlujium, a wizarding school in Colorado, but things… Took an unexpected twist.

Maybe I should just start the story.

I opened my eyes and looked around the room. What day was it today, anyway? I felt like I was forgetting something… I groaned and rolled out of bed, not bothering with my slippers. I took a glance at the clock and sighed. It was 9:48 a.m. How come no one woke me? I quickly brushed out my hair and went into the washroom to clean up my face and brush my teeth.

As I started down the stairs, I vaguely picked up the smell of banana pancakes. Ah, my favorite! But, wait, we never had pancakes for breakfast. Mrs. Longbottom said they were far too sugary. I smiled and face palmed myself for being so silly. How could I forget! Today was August 17th; I'd been waiting all year for today! A new sense of excitement filled me. I bound the rest of the way down the stairs, readjusting my tank top's shoulder strap. I was about to enter the dining room when I heard Neville and Mrs. Longbottom whispering. I pulled myself back behind the wall as quickly as I could.

"Just **don't **tell her,Gran!" I heard Neville say at his grandmother. She snorted.

"Fine, _you _do it," she replied bitterly. What were they talking about? Tell me what, exactly? I backtracked up the stairs a little bit and made sure to take heavy steps on the way down this time. Sure enough, they stopped whispering. I walked into the dining room and smiled at them.

"Happy birthday, Millie!" both Neville and Mrs. Longbottom said at the same time.

"Thanks," I replied. I walked over to the table and sat across from Nev, too excited to touch the food in front of me.

"Has my acceptance letter come in yet?" I asked eagerly. Neville looked like he was just about to say something, but his Gran cut in.

"No, nothing yet," she said. I looked at her closely. She was smiling in a funny way, and her hands shook as she cut her pancake. I guess I should've known then that something was wrong.

- 2 Weeks Later -

"Did it come yet?" I asked Mrs. Longbottom as Neville and I walked into the house. We had been out flying Neville's old Cleansweep for the morning. Well, Neville just tried to get it off the ground the whole time. And failed.

"No," she said, not even glancing up from the Prophet she was reading. I crossed my arms and stared at her in disbelief. She slowly and nervously looked up.

"Mrs. Longbottom, it has been exactly _two _weeks since I turned eleven. They _know _they were supposed to send it here instead of my house. So I want to know; what is going on!?" I snapped, growing angrier by the moment. Mrs. Longbottom shrunk in her chair, and I had to try hard not to show I felt bad. She shakily held out the Prophet, and I grabbed it, confused.

"R-Read the s-side column," she instructed. I unfolded it and did as I was told.

**The Ministry has recently confirmed that the wizarding citizens, Robert and Barbra Glass, have gone missing.**

**They have yet to be found by neither the Ministry nor anyone else.**

**They were last seen in Lecturn Boulevard, America.**

**If you have any information involving the wizard Robert Glass or the witch Barbra Glass, please contact the Ministry immediately.**

**Whoever can provide information will be granted a sum of 50 Galleons.**

Neville, who was reading over my shoulder, spoke up before I did. "Gran, this is from my birthday! Why didn't you show it to us?" he said, somewhat angry.

"I'm sorry. I know I should have told you. And I have your acceptance letter, Mildred. Here," she said, pushing a sealed envelope across the coffee table. The thought of finally getting my acceptance letter made my heart a tiny bit lighter, at least. I quickly snatched it up and stared at the wax stamp, but it wasn't Herlujium's seal.

"There must be some sort of mistake, this… This is a _Hogwarts _acceptance letter," I said. Neville sighed.

"Well, we're going to the same school now," he said. I knew he was trying to be optimistic, but I wasn't really in the mood. I slid into the armchair by the door and held both the Prophet and the letter firmly in my hands. I let out a choke-like noise that would make you think I just had my throat slit if you didn't know any better.

"Mildred, please, I-" Mrs. Longbottom began.

"Mrs. Longbottom, that means you already told them I'm going? They... they need the answer by..." I was having trouble speaking.

"July 31st, I'm aware. Yes, I did, Mildred. I'm sorry I said nothing sooner," she apologized.

"Who would take my parents?" I asked, staring vacantly across the room. I was too shocked to do anything else. When she didn't respond, I snapped out of it and looked at her. She had a grave expression and she, too, was staring at something on the other side of the house. Neville was trying to follow her intense gaze, but he eventually became flustered.

"What are you staring at?" he asked. She turned her head to him and closed her eyes for a moment.

"The only people who would take Robert and Barbra, if that _is_ what's happened, are the same people who would torture them into insanity," she said. I knitted my eyebrows and looked at Neville. He seemed just as confused.

"Gran, why would Death Eaters take them? They weren't even part of the Order of the Phoenix!" he said, and I could hear strain in his voice not to cry. It happened whenever someone but himself brought up his parents. I only made the mistake once, when we were seven.

"I wasn't part of the Order, either! They didn't tell me anything!" she said snappily. She refused to answer anything more after that, whether it be a question or not.

As you could imagine, I didn't sleep easy that night. And so I stayed awake, staring out the window, just wondering where Mum and Dad were right now. Were they safe? Better yet, were they still alive? For a moment, I was even hopeful they'd just gotten lost while on vacation to Europe. Nothing made sense, not at all in any way. Why would Death Eaters want my parents? And then I got around to thinking, what if they _didn't _want my parents? What if the person they really were after was me? But no, that would just be crazy... Right?


	2. Train Ride

Chapter Two: Train Ride

It was the day I'd been waiting for; September 1st. The only difference was I wasn't standing on Platform 6 ¼ in Colorado. Instead, I was standing on Platform 9 ¾ in King's Cross, London. While Nev searched around frantically for Trevor, his toad, I sat on a bench and watched the hustling and bustling. It felt great to be back in London. I hadn't been here since we moved to America. I just never thought this would be why...

"Mill, I think your snake ate him," Neville said as he came up, with the cage both Juniper and Trevor were sharing in his hand. Technically Juniper wasn't allowed at Hogwarts, so we decided to sneak her in with Trevor's. I'd told her to hide in the bedding, so that's what she did. Right now her head stuck out from the wood shavings and she flicked her tongue in annoyance.

"_I did eat a frog I found last night, but it wasn't Trevor!" _she hissed. I sighed.

"Neville, she didn't _eat _Trevor," I said in her defense. He groaned. He knew I was right; Juniper and Trevor had shared cages before, and she never ate him then. He turned around and went to continue his search. As he did so, he almost ran straight into a girl with black and green robes.

"Hey, watch it!" she snapped.

"S-Sorry!" Nev stammered before running off. I chuckled, thinking how much it was like Neville to nearly run someone down before we even got there.

"What, you think it's funny when kids are mean to first years?" accused a boy from behind me. I whipped my head around to look over my shoulder. He was tall, with brown eyes and bright red hair. Definitely older than Neville and I.

"No! I just was thinking how much like him it is to-"

"Tsk, tsk," said another boy. I whipped my head the other way and saw him standing at my right, behind the bench. He looked exactly like the other one. _Great, twins, _I thought. "You'll end up a Slytherin like that."

"I don't even know you," I said, watching the one to my right. Simultaneously, both of them walked around and sat on either side of me.

"I'm Fred," said the one on my left.

"I'm George," said the other.

"Most people just call us the Weasley Twins," they said at the same time. I looked at George, then Fred, then George, then back at Fred.

"How do people tell you apart?" I asked. They looked exactly the same!

"They don't," said George.

"Not even Mum," said Fred. The Twins looked at each other and exchanged something in silent communication.

"Especially not Mum," they both said. I had to smile. Who couldn't? They seemed so laid-back that I even started to relax a little.

"So, enough about us. What's your name?" asked George.

"Mildred," I said, ashamed at my name.

"Mildred? Well that isn't very much attractive, is it?" Fred teased.

"No, it isn't," I agreed.

"Surely you have a nickname we could call you by?" George inquired.

"Uh, Millie. Most people call me Millie," I said, feeling stupid. I couldn't have said that to begin with!?

"That's more like it," Fred smiled. "Well, let me just say, Millie, you are most beautiful."

I blinked. "Uh, thanks?"

"Really, blonde hair and blue eyes is a very lovely combination," George continued, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"Than- BLONDE!?" I screamed, grasping a lock of my hair and examining it. Sure enough, my hair was a shiny super-model blonde instead of its usual dark brown. Fred and George were in hysterics, and Fred had his arm around my shoulders so he wouldn't fall to the ground in a laughing fit.

"One more thing-" George laughed.

"You should know-" Fred added, also laughing.

"We're always pranking!" they finished in unison. I was mad they turned my hair blonde, of course, but for some reason I had the urge to laugh with them. Their laughing was contagious, I swear!

"I think I've figured that much out," I chuckled. Hey, I'd always wanted to know how it was like to be a blonde anyway.

"I like you, Millie," Fred said once they settled down. He still had his arm around my shoulders, which I found a bit awkward, but he seemed completely fine with.

"Yeah, you don't freak out like everyone else," George added. I smiled. If there were guys like these around, I thought I might actually like Hogwarts.

"If you ever need a fun time, come find us," Fred said. Both of them stood up and started walking away.

"Wait, don't I get my hair back?" I asked. George looked over his shoulder and smirked.

"Maybe another day," he said.

"You guys are horrible!" I yelled after them, but I was laughing. They both sent me a last smile before disappearing.

"Are you friends with them?" asked a girl who ran up to me from somewhere to my right. She had blonde hair and brown eyes, and she looked like she was in at least her fifth year. Wait, blonde hair...

"Don't tell me..." I said.

"Yeah, they got me, too," she said unhappily, "Now are you friends with them or aren't you?"

I shook my head. "We've just met, actually."

"They're the Weasley Twins. Steer away from them unless you want a detention," she said before chasing after them. "Change my hair back you good-for-nothing Weasley's!" she yelled.

"ALL ABOARD!" the conductor boomed out. I looked up from my book (Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet) and put it in my pack. I swung it onto my shoulder, then grabbed the handle of my trunk. I was one of the first ones on the train, so naturally I went to a compartment in the very back (where Nev and I had agreed to go). I shoved my trunk under my seat and put my pack beside me. I was debating on whether I wanted to read on the way there or just look outside when I heard some boys talking very loudly in the walk.

"I'm telling you, Goyle, he was bigger than the three of us put together," I heard one say as they appeared in front of my compartment. One was rather tall and looked menacing, another shorter but looking just as tough, and the third was a white-blonde haired boy with seemingly cold grey eyes. The taller one (who I assumed to be Goyle) opened the door and they all walked in. I watched them without saying anything.

"You! go find another compartment," said the shorter one, pointing to me. I made a face and crossed my arms.

"Excuse me, but I believe _you _should be asking _my _permission to sit here," I said bitterly. I already hated this guy. The other two boys, who seemed to be having a most lovely conversation just moments before, stopped at my indignation. The tall one, Goyle as he was called, stepped back and let the blonde fellow step through. He glared down at me, which I didn't like, so I stood up to match him. He was only a few inches taller than me, unlike his companion who was towering above us all.

"We asked nicely," he hissed. I narrowed my eyes.

"Problem is, I don't care," I said, getting in his face. I heard knuckled cracking behind this boy, and I knew the others were trying to seem impressive.

"Do you _know _who I am?" he asked.

"You don't exactly strike me as famous," I spat back.

"We can _make_ you leave," he said cockily, stepping back with his bodyguards of sorts. I scoffed.

"I'd like to see you try," I said, sneering at him, "Besides, would you hit a girl?"

"Me? Oh, no," the blonde said with a smirk, "But _they _would. Crabbe! Goyle!"

Instantly the two bigger boys came at me, but I, being a major daydreamer, had thought about what I'd do in this sort of situation. The moment Crabbe swung his fist, I fell onto the ground as if I were fainting. I quickly rolled behind the both of them and did a sort of karate chop into the crooks of their knees. As soon as I did, they're legs collapsed and they fell. I knew they'd only get up again, so I went to grab for my pack to hit them with it. Though I didn't particularly plan for the train to start moving right then. Instead of getting my pack, I fell onto the blonde kid, who was in the corner to avoid the fight.

When I fell on him, it pushed him back into the seat. I ended up practically in his lap, my knees resting on the bench in between his legs. My hands were on his chest and I swear if we were any closer we would've been kissing. We both just stayed there, shocked. _He does have really pretty eyes, _I thought randomly, then became embarrassed because I realized we were literally gazing at each other. And yet I couldn't get myself to look away, and apparently neither could he. It was _that _awkward.

"Get offa him," Goyle said, grabbing me by the neck and tossing me off. I coughed, trying to get some air back into my lungs, then stood back up. The boy was back on his feet, brushing off his robes and running a hand over his head to smoothen out his hair. _Spoiled prick, _I thought.

"Well, I see you can hold your own," he said after he was done. I sat on the other side of the cabin (away from them).

"Of course I can," I said coolly, though on the inside I was swelling with pride. He smirked and sat back down where I'd landed on him. Crabbe and Goyle sat to his left.

"You should really pick up after yourself," Crabbe growled, throwing my pack into the middle of the compartment.

"HEY!" I yelled, grabbing up my bag and yanking it open. I rummaged through it and pulled out a picture frame. After looking it over, I sat back on the bench with a groan. "Now look what you've done."

"What is it?" the blonde said, snatching the frame from me.

"Give it back!" I demanded. He snickered at the image and threw it back over. I just barely caught it and looked at the picture with a sigh. The glass was cracked now, but you could still see Neville and me laughing.

"Who's that? A boyfriend?" he teased.

"No! He's just my friend," I said angrily, putting the picture back into my bag and storing it under the bench.

"Hm," he huffed, as if not believing me, "I'm Draco Malfoy. And you are?"

I almost wanted to laugh at his name, but I stopped myself. Mine wasn't much better. "Mildred Glass."

He laughed at mine, that was for sure. "Mildred? You must be joking with me!" he laughed. Crabbe and Goyle laughed along, though I doubt they even knew what they were laughing at.

"Please, because _Draco _is much better," I said, rolling my eyes.

"It is, actually," he said, wiping a non-existent tear from his eye. _I know..._

"Well at least _I _have a good nickname to go by," I said indignantly.

"Yeah? And what would that be?" Draco asked.

"Millie," I told him, scowling. He smiled.

"Ha, that's cute," he said with a slight chuckle. My expression lightened. What with the change of heart?

"Th-Thanks," I stuttered. He gave a little nod, but I got distracted by a choking noise from Goyle. I didn't know what he was choking _on _until he spit the half-chewed jellybean onto the floor. I looked back at him to discover a pile of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans in his hand.

"Oi! What'd you get?" Crabbe asked.

"Chili," he responded distastefully.

"Hey! Give one here," Draco said. Goyle offered out his bean-filled hand, and Draco carefully picked out a yellowish-brown one. Scrunching his eyes closed, he popped the candy in his mouth. After a few chews, he started gagging (but it was that sort of fake gagging you'd make when you catch your best mate snogging). The rest of us burst out into laughter. He laughed with us and, unlike Goyle, he swallowed his Bertie Bott.

"Spaghetti!" he laughed, "Now let's see you have a go." He grabbed a random bean from Goyle and tossed it to me. I caught it and examined its color. It was bubblegum pink, which meant it was earthworm, sausage, or tutti-frutti.

"Here goes nothing," I said, popping it in my mouth and chewing. I coughed and spat it back in my hand. Everyone was cracking up. "Earthworm!" I announced.

"Bet you won't swallow it," Draco said playfully.

"You're on," I said, throwing it into the back of my throat and swallowing it without another chew. I coughed after it went down, but I was laughing still.

"That's vile!" I said. All of the sudden I found myself not hating them so much anymore.

By the time we got to Hogwarts, we'd gone through three boxes of Bertie Bott's and we'd tortured each other with a bag of Pepper Imps. If you didn't know, you'd think we'd all been the best of friends. But of course we'd only just met. I had just one thought as we exited the Hogwarts Express: _this is ten times better than Herlujium would've ever been._


	3. Wide Awake

Chapter Three: Wide Awake

"Firs' years follow me!" a man called out. He was massive, at least a whole other person taller than Goyle. He had a scraggy beard to match his hair and black, beetle-y eyes.

"See, told you," Draco said to Goyle. Goyle simply nodded, too amazed to speak. We followed along with the group, somewhere in the middle. No one spoke much, but I could hear someone sniffling a little up ahead towards the front.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the tall man with the lantern announced, "jus' round this bend here."

Almost every first year let out an 'oooooh'. Perched on top of a mountain was an enchanted-looking castle. The windows sparkled along with the stars in the night sky, and you could see all the high towers and bridges. It was more than breathtaking. Before the castle, though, was a shimmering lake, black under the night sky.

"No more'n four to a boat!" the man said, getting into a boat that he seemed to have all to himself.

"Perfect," Draco smiled, getting into an empty one. Crabbe sat next to him, and Goyle sat across from him. I sat next to Goyle, eyes still transfixed on the castle that would be my home for the next seven years. I have to admit now, though, after years of attending, it kind of lost its luster.

"Everyone in?" the man asked, "Right then- FORWARD!"

With that the boats moved off all at once, sliding across the water as if it were ice. They didn't even leave any ripples. My eyes were wide with wonder. I glanced at Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle to find they were just as mystified. It was almost cute to see them so bewildered.

"Heads down!" our guide yelled as we reached the cliff face. There was a curtain of ivy growing down to hide an underground tunnel. Once we got to the end, we discovered a sort of encased harbor. We cluttered onto the shore and you could feel the vibe of excitement in the air.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" asked the man, checking the boats.

"Trevor!" I heard Neville cry out. Neville! I thought guiltily how I'd completely forgotten about him. He must've been all alone on the train ride! As we all followed the tall man's lamp, Neville passed by.

"Told you she didn't eat him," I said somewhat quietly as he passed. I don't know why, but I didn't want Draco, Crabbe, or Goyle to see me talking to him. He smiled and nodded before darting off to catch up with some of his new friends, one of which looked familiar. He had black hair and was quite a bit shorter than his red-headed friend. I just couldn't put my finger on it... We finally emerged, putting our feet on soft grass. We crowded around a huge oak door and waited.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" the man asked. He then knocked on the castle door exactly three times with a giant fist.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," the man said to the woman who answered. She was also tall (not nearly as tall as the man, of course), with black hair and emerald robes. She seemed stern, and she hadn't even spoken yet.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here," McGonagall said. Once she opened the door, there was another wondrous sight. The entrance hall was so big you could've fit the whole Express inside. The stone walls were lit by torches, like an old kingdom, and there was a glorious marble staircase leading to the upper floors.

We followed McGonagall's lead across the stone floor, and from the righter most doorway you could hear hundreds of people talking. I assumed the rest of the school was there already. But that isn't where we went. McGonagall led us into a small, empty chamber. We were all a lot closer than we would've been at any other time. I was between Goyle and another boy with brown skin and an excited smile.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," McGonagall said, "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts..." _Or my only family if Mum and Dad don't show up soon. _"You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room."

I started zoning out after that, but I did catch the names of the houses; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. I knew about the Houses already, though, because Mum and Dad went to Hogwarts. I also heard something about House Points and the House Cup.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," she said before leaving. "Please wait quietly."

"What house do you want to be in, Glass?" Draco asked. I shrugged.

"I just don't want to be in Hufflepuff," I admitted. He groaned.

"I think I would throw myself off the Astronomy Tower if I were sorted into Hufflepuff," he said. I nodded. Hufflepuff just seemed like a bunch of hippies, really. I bit my lip slightly. _Sorry, Nev._

"Well, the only place for a Pure-blood is in Slyth-" he began, but he was interrupted by the screaming of several people in the back. The four of us whipped our heads around and gasped; at least twenty ghosts had just streamed in from the walls, glimmer-white and partly see-through. They seemed to be arguing about another ghost named Peeves.

"I say, what are you all doing here?" said a ghost in a ruff and tights. No one answered his question, for they were all goggling at the white figures.

"New students!" said the rather fat ghost that was called Friar. "About to be Sorted, I suppose? Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old House, you know."

Draco sniggered.

"Move along now," McGonagall snapped, making me jump. I hadn't realized she'd returned. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Once we entered the next room, I instantly understood why it was called the **Great** Hall. There were thousands of candles, floating in the air over four long tables, set with glittering golden platters and goblets, where the rest of the student body was sitting. The ceiling looked like it was opened up straight to the sky, but it couldn't be, could it? At the end of the hall was another long table, for the professors.

McGonagall led us to the front of the Hall and silently positioned a four-legged stool before the first years. She placed a very old, very worn wizard's hat atop the stool. I wondered what could be so special about the hat, but it didn't take me long to find out. It opened its mouth- yes, _mouth_- and began to sing:

_Oh you may not think me pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_if you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folks use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

After much applause, McGonagall started calling names. The first girl was "Abbott, Hannah," who was placed in Hufflepuff. I watched with interest as each person strode up and placed the hat upon their heads. _'HUFFLEPUFF! RAVENCLAW! GRYFFINDOR! SLYTHERIN' _ the hat kept saying.

"Glass, Mildred!" McGonagall called. I cringed. I could hear some people laughing at my name from both the first year crowd and the long tables beside us. Or perhaps I was just imagining it? I gathered all the confidence I could and walked up to the stool. The path seemed a lot longer once you actually went to be sorted. I sat on the wooden seat and placed the hat on my head. It covered my eyes and started talking immediately.

"Tricky, tricky..." it said in a small voice. I knew just by the way it said it no one but I could hear this at the moment. _What is? _I thought nervously.

"A Slytherin mother and a Gryffindor father... Cunning, Sly, Brave, Loyal, Clever... But which House fits you? Maybe it's Ravenclaw? Oh yes, Ravenclaw would be wonderful for such a youthful, ready mind," the hat debated with itself.

"I want one of my parents' Houses," I whispered. It stopped its muttering for a moment.

"You do?" it asked, slightly amazed. "You seemed the type to want to stand _apart _from lineage. But, oh yes, I see both of them here, inside your head. Yes, let's see... SLYTHERIN!" it announced finally. My heart did sink a little at the thought of not being with Neville (because there was no way he'd be Slytherin), but I knew I'd still see him around.

Sitting in an empty part of the table next to Crabbe (knowing Goyle and Draco would definitely be put in Slytherin as well), I tuned out again, only paying attention when I head familiar names called. _Goyle, Gregory_ was placed in Slytherin. _Longbottom, Neville _was, surprisingly put in Gryffindor (though running off with the hat still on his head didn't exactly prove he belonged there). I especially listened up when I head a name that _everyone _knew: _Potter, Harry._

The entire Great Hall was silent. The crowd parted as a boy with jet black hair, electric green eyes, and dorky round glasses made his way to the head of the room. _I know him, _I thought. But not like everyone else; I actually _knew _him. Now I knew why I recognized him. On our mantle, back at home, Mum had a picture of me and a little boy when we were children under a year old. Whenever I asked who he was, she would simply say her friend's son. But _now _I knew who he _really _was.

A long moment passed before Mr. Potter was put in Gryffindor. Up soon after were Draco and who I assumed to be the Weasley Twin's younger brother, Ronald Weasley. But I didn't pay much attention. I kept focus on Harry Potter, so curious about him. He was a part of my life, but how...?

"-And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" said Headmaster Dumbledore. _That man must be batty..._

"Have you ever seen so much food?" Draco said in awe. I looked away from Dumbledore and my jaw nearly fell open. The plates and goblets had somehow filled themselves, and everyone dug in. I personally went for the Yorkshire pudding, roast beef, and mashed potatoes. Though the reason for peppermint humbugs was beyond me.

"I would certainly hope you new Slytherins will help us win the House Cup again this year! We've won for six years now and blah blah blah blah blah!" The Bloody Baron, our House's ghost, ranted. He was sitting in between Draco and Goyle, and they both looked very displeased with this seating arrangement. Quite honestly, so was I.

Once the Bloody Baron had decided to leave us alone and bother Goyle instead (we felt bad, but better him than us), Draco, Crabbe and I started a conversation about Harry Potter.

"I don't see why he's so famous. He didn't even _do_ anything! He just sat there and got lucky," Draco said. I nodded in agreement.

"I know! Anyone can draw a lightning bolt on their forehead," I said. He laughed. "But you've got to admit you feel bad for him. It must be awful, growing up without your parents."

Draco shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

But I could tell from his eyes that he didn't really. All of the sudden the food disappeared, leaving the plates sparkling clean once again. Crabbe, Draco, and I looked down in confusion, but just as fast as the food disappeared, desserts reappeared. From apple pies, treacle tart, trifle, Jell-O, to rice pudding. You name it, it was there. Draco and I looked at each other with mischievous smirks.

"So much for being full," I joked, grabbing for a slice of treacle tart. It was delicious, as was all the other food.

"So, Glass, what's your family like?" Draco asked, helping himself to some vanilla ice cream.

"Well, they're both ... like us, I guess you'd say," I started, taking another small bite of my tart.

"So you're Pure-blood?" he said happily.

"Um, yeah," I said with a slight smile. I valued blood status of course, but not a lot. I just thought it was cool to know I came from an all wizarding family.

"Crabbe, what _is _it!?" Draco snapped. I looked at Crabbe, who was a tad bit pink.

"N-Nothing," he said. That was really the most I'd heard out of him up to that point.

"Then why do you keep kicking me under the table?" Draco asked irritably. He looked nervously, and then turned to me.

"Your parents are Robert and Barbra Glass, right? The ones they think got taken by _Death Eaters?" _he asked, for some reason emphasizing "Death Eaters."

"Is that really what everyone thinks happened?" I asked, a little crestfallen.

"That was your family? Sorry," Draco said. It was a little bit hard to tell if he meant it or not.

"I think they just got lost while hiking through Europe or something," I lied. Draco shrugged.

"Maybe. That happens a lot apparently. Last year a witch got lost in Egypt while traveling through the desert with some gypsy's. They didn't find her for a whole ye-" Draco tried to reassure me.

"Ow!" I exclaimed, clasping a hand over my forehead. Out of nowhere, a sharp pain had taken over my skull. After it vanished, I was left with a sort of throbbing feeling. I was about to ride it off as a migraine from all the food when something across the Great Hall caught my eye; Harry was also rubbing his head, and staring at the High Table. I followed his gaze to a professor who was talking to the new teacher, Squirrel or whatever his name was. His hair was black and greasy-looking, and his solid black eyes stood out greatly against his pale skin. They were littered across by flecks of gray, though you couldn't really notice them unless you looked closely at him...

Or he looked closely at you.

He looked away just as fast. For some reason, I felt like I should know this man. But from where? And why? Did my parents possibly know him?

"What? What's wrong?" Draco asked. Those past few moments that seemed to last hours, with Harry and the mysterious professor, were really only a few seconds.

"I-It's nothing," I said, looking down and avoiding his eyes.

Sleeping that night just didn't seem easy. I wasn't sure why, but I couldn't sleep peacefully at all. I woke up every few hours, and I swear I heard someone whispering to me. But who the hell would be whispering to me? No one in this room, for sure? It couldn't have been. The person I was hearing was a man. He had a deep, monotone-like voice. He kept telling to meet him on Friday after hours in the Potion's classroom and not to get caught. If I didn't know, I'd say Snape, our Head of House (as well as the black-eyed professor from before), was just outside my dorm talking to me. I thought that maybe I'd swing by, just to see how crazy I was, before I drifted off into another two hour sleep.

I felt like I should know this man, know his voice. But why would I?


	4. Hello Again

Chapter Four: Hello Again

"So what does the schedule hold for us this morning?" I asked Draco as we sat down for breakfast on Friday morning. I loved how, at Hogwarts, classes didn't start until nine. Another plus over Herlujium, who started their days at seven.

"Looks like Double Potions with Gryffindor," he said, looking at his paper. Me, being me, had already lost mine and had to rely on Draco, Crabbe and Goyle to get me where I needed to go. Most of the time that meant getting lost, but we were getting better at it.

"Awesome," I said, taking a sip of tea. Nothing woke you up in the morning like liquefied plant leaves, milk, and sugar.

"So, we have the afternoon off," Draco mentioned nonchalantly.

"Whatever shall we do?" I asked, smiling.

"We could swim at the lake," Crabbe suggested.

"In September?" Goyle snapped.

"Why not?" I said, gaining the three's attention. "It's always fun to do something a bit mental. Besides, I bet it won't be crowded."

"Sure, sounds great," Draco agreed.

"Just one rule, though," I said, interrupting Crabbe's miniature celebration.

"Yeah?" Goyle said.

"I really don't wanna see either of you in your underwear," I told them. Goyle smirked and I instantly knew I'd given him some sort of opportunity.

"So you'd be okay if Draco was in his underwear?" he said. Yeah, I screwed up.

"Shut up, Goyle!" Draco said, turning slightly pink.

"Well, I don't wanna see that either, but I just figured he'd have the sense to know that already," I retaliated. The expressions on their faces were priceless; it was like they were deciding whether or not to take offense. Draco and I broke into fits of laughter. Just then, a swarm of owls streamed into the room. We calmed ourselves down and looked toward the ceiling for our owls, but only Draco's had something for him.

"Uhg, Mum needs to bugger off a while. Every day it's _/oh, Draco darling, I hope you're having yourself a splendid time at Hogwarts,"/_ he mocked in a high pitch voice. Crabbe and Goyle burst into laughter (making a lot of people look at us), but I just smiled. What was it about Draco that made me like him so much? Not in a _/"like-like"/_ way, but I started off hating him, and now it was as if he'd been there my entire life.

"What're you laughing at?" asked Pansy as she took an empty seat beside me. She was a first year like us. We shared a dorm, actually. It was Pansy, Millicent Bulstrode, Tracey Davis, Daphne Greengrass, and me, the girl with the glasses. The big, brown, ugly glasses...

"Oh, hi Pansy," I smiled.

"Get any mail?" she asked us.

"Just another note from Mother, asking about school," Draco replied, tossing the letter off to the side.

"Tell me about it! Mother hasn't even given me time to reply before she's sent me another," Pansy agreed. Draco smiled at her. We started chatting about our parents, but I tried to stay out of it.

"We'd better be off. Maybe we won't get lost for once," Draco said eventually.

"I'd hope not. It's almost right next to the common room," I said, getting out of my seat and grabbing my books.

"Mind if I tag along?" asked Pansy, already on her feet.

"Sure," Draco shrugged. We began walking down the corridors, laughing about how that Hermione Granger had most likely eaten every one of her textbooks, when Snape passed us. When we realized he was looking, we all stopped and stood before him.

"I see you all have made friends with the other Slytherins," he pointed out.

"Yes, sir," everyone muttered. Everyone... except me.

"Of course we have," I said. He gave me a strange look, which melted into a seemingly forced smile.

"Why is that, Miss Glass?" he asked.

"Well, the way I figure, the Sorting Hat _/did/ _put us with people we were similar to," I said, and I was aware for the first time that my companions were staring at me in astonishment.

"But sometimes it would seem that opposites... attract," Snape said. I blinked. _/Alright...?/_

"Come on, Glass!" Draco called. I simply /refused/ to swim to the /middle/ of the lake. "Bet you can't swim," he taunted.

"Can too!" I retaliated. I was a brilliant swimmer!

"Doesn't look it," he smirked.

"I'll prove it!" I yelled. I kicked off the rock ledge and swam as fast as I could out to where Draco was. I could too swim! My mum took me to swim classes when I was two! To hell I couldn't swi-

"Wait," I paused as I reached him. He burst into laughter. I smiled a little bit to myself, realizing I _/liked/ _his attention. It was almost strange, but... Well, I wanted it I guess. We stayed there, treading water for a little while in silence.

"We should go back soon. I'm freezing," I said, noticing the blueness on Draco's lips. He nodded.

"Crabbe, Goyle," he called, and we made for the shore.

"D-Did we bring towels?" Goyle asked.

"No, but I picked up a spell. Here, um, what was it..." I started.

"Impervius," Draco said. I looked at him funny.

"You've been muttering it all morning," he smiled. I returned it.

"Thanks. _/Impervius!"/_

Even through the spell had dried us off completely, I'd come down with a rather nasty cold by the time we reached the castle.

"We'll meet you there," Crabbe said as the three boys left to get supper. I nodded and split off to go to Madame Pomfrey, who had been treating a fair number of colds recently.

"Thank you," I said.

"Not at all. Now go get something to eat, you'll need it," she said. I thanked her again before heading for the Great Hall. _/I wonder if they'll have roast chicken today,/_ I thought, really in the mood for chicken and mashed potatoes.

"Hey! Give it back!" I heard someone shout. I looked up from my thoughts and saw a boy, probably a first year, reaching for a book hovering feet over his head. Two girls stood before him, at least in their fourth year, laughing and teasing him.

"What's the matter, can't reach?" one of them chuckled as I drew closer.

"Maybe you should grow more," the other suggested, and both of them giggled.

"Please! Give it back!" the boy whined, still jumping up for the book he knew he'd never get to. As I got close I figured out who everyone was; Kimberly Bates, Valerie Mark, and, of course, Neville Longbottom.

"Fine, have it," Kimberly sneered, dropping her wand and releasing the book from her _/Leviosa/_ charm. It fell with a thud right onto Neville's head. The two girls walked away, jeering at how pathetic Neville was, passing me on the way to the Great Hall.

"Oi, Glass, good one, eh?" asked Mark as she saw me.

"Uh, yeah, brilliant," I said, high-fiving her. And it was, it was a brilliant idea (if it had been used on anyone else), but I was distracted by Neville, who was lying on the ground and flipping through the pages of his book.

"There has to be a jinx I could use somewhere in here," he said as I kneeled next to him.

"You wouldn't, though," I said gently. He stopped looking and put his DADA book in its pile.

"I know. I don't think I like Slytherin so much, Millie," Neville said, looking over his shoulder at Bates and Mark as they disappeared through the doors.

"Understandable," I murmured, but there wasn't anything I could do about it, either. "Come on, let's go."

Neville and I walked together until we had to split to our tables. He sat near the none-other-than Harry Potter, so I sat across from him at the Slytherin table. Neville turned in his seat so we could talk.

"Have you any friends? In your House?" Neville asked.

"Of course. Why?" I asked. His ears went pink.

"They just don't seem that friendly is all," he said. I smiled.

"They aren't too bad. I still wish we were in the same House, though," I grinned. He nodded in agreement.

"Glass!" Draco called. I turned my head and saw him waving me over from down on the other end of the table, a good few seats away.

"Who's he?" Nev asked.

"Draco Malfoy. He's a friend," I said.

"Glass, over here!" he called again. I smiled at Neville and got up to go sit with Draco, but someone intercepted my path.

"Miss Glass," Snape said, and I had to stop myself from running into him.

"Y-Yes?" I stammered, grabbing my _/History of Magic/_ book just as it was slipping from my pile.

"Meet me in my classroom, if you would," he said.

"Uh, yeah. Won't I see you in the common room, though?" I asked curiously. He glared.

"My classroom, Miss Glass," he repeated, then walked off. I sighed and continued to sit down.

"What was that about?" Draco asked.

"Oh, Snape?" I said dumbly.

"Yeah, what did he say?" Goyle inquired.

"He was... He asked me to meet him in his classroom for an extra Potion's lesson," I lied, grabbing for a roll.

"A lesson? What for?" Draco questioned.

"I asked him to. I want to beat out that Hermione Granger," I spat. While I would love to beat Granger in some class, I wanted to know what Snape had in store. I took a huge bite of bread so no one would ask any more questions and they'd leave me to my thoughts. What could he want of me?

"I see you've made it," came Snape's monotone greeting.

"Yeah. Did you need something?" I asked, closing the door. He flicked his wand at the door and it locked. Another swish and the window was blacked out.

"I assume you received my earlier message?" he asked, gesturing at a stool towards the front of the class. I took a seat and thought. It suddenly struck me.

"Meet me after hours, and don't get caught," I recited, nodding slowly.

"Yes, that one. But, of course, you'll be up talking all night with Pansy Parkinson," he said with a knowing shimmer in his eye. My face grew hot. Pansy and I were _/always/ _talking.

"I suppose that's why you have me here now instead?" I suggested. He gave a slight nod.

"As it seems, you don't remember me," he said, standing at the head of the room. I frowned a little.

"How should I? We've only just met this week," I said.

"No, we have met before. You were all but a year old," he said.

"Oh?" I asked cautiously.

"November 1st if I recall," he went on, "The night after the murder of Lily and James Potter."

"I wouldn't know, sir," I said, "I'm not much a fan of Potter."

He went on without notice of my comment. "It was on that very day, at midnight, that you were volunteered to assist me in my... _/tasks."/_

"Volunteered?" I asked, gawking. _/What the devil is he on about?/ _I thought.

"Yes. Your mother agreed with an Unbreakable Vow to let me train you in my field of working," Snape said, toying with a brewing potion on his desk.

"So you want me to become a Potion's Master?" I smarted. He whipped his head around and stormed over to my table, making me almost fall back in surprise.

"The missions of which I'm speaking could very well lead to your immediate death if you don't follow my directions _/exactly,/_ so I suggest you take this as a serious matter," he hissed, backing away at the end. My eyes were big.

"I'm _/eleven./_ What would we be doing that could lead to my _/death_?"/ I said in exasperation.

"A number of things," he said bitterly, adding a pinch of finely crushed ingredients to his cauldron. All was silent for a number of moments.

"Where do we start?" I asked after a while. He turned around and gave a mocking smile.

"I want to know where your loyalties lie- with Potter or the Dark Lord?" he asked. I fumbled for an answer.

"Well not with Voldemort if that's what you're asking!" I exclaimed.

"Do _/not/_ speak his name," he snapped.

"Why? I'm not afraid," I stated boldly.

"You should be," Snape said darkly, staring at me in a way that made me know I'd best remember this for a later time. I gave a slight dip of my head to show I understood.

"Very well," I whispered.

"I will let you know when there is time for us to begin training," he said, pouring his now finished mixture into a phial. /Training...?/

"Out of curiosity, why are you telling me all this so early in the year?" I asked.

"Better sooner than later," he said simply, showing me to the door.

"Well, uh, hello again," I said as I exited his classroom.

"Hello again."


End file.
